The Moon's Shadow
by DarkTaoAngel
Summary: Yoh and Anna grow to realize that what they have is not love, but something far greater. It's the road to realization that means the most, and the roads they have to travel, they travel together. They were always together, even when they were apart.
1. Overhearing

DarkTaoAngel: This is a new way of writing that I am experimenting with. It may not be that long, but it will be later. I do not own Shaman King, please review!

"Yoh, you get back here right now!"

"Or you'll do what?"

A very flustered itako stood on the lawn opposite her fiancée. She was red in the face, as she had just stopped chasing him all around the yard. He just would not give up, and it appeared her training had paid off well. He was grinning stupidly at her again.

She snarled at him, a sure signal that he was in serious trouble. The grin of his face vanished, only to be replaced by a look of fear. He began to run again, as she chased him. It had been this way almost all morning.

When she finally caught him, she gave him a well deserved slap across the face before leaving, with a satisfied look on her face and her nose in the air, into the kitchen for breakfast. He remained out on the lawn, running his hand over the hand mark on the left side of his face.

"Ouch, that one really hurt!"

"Yoh, what are you doing out here?" Morty, Yoh's abnormally short friend asked with incredulity, though he could only assume he knew the answer.

"Anna chased you again, didn't she?" Yoh only nodded in response, still feeling the red face mark over with his hand.

"You're almost married and she still insists of treating you awful. I don't understand why you even want to marry her in the first place." Morty said, shaking his finger at Yoh.

"I never said I wanted to marry her, I _have_ to. It's an arranged marriage, remember? I don't have a choice." Yoh sighed deeply. Of all the people he could have been stuck with, it just had to be Anna Kyoyama. The persistent, evil witch of a fiancé.

"Can't you break the arrangement somehow?" Morty asked.

"It's no use, I've tried. I have to marry her, no matter how much I hate her." And they both turned and entered the Inn, thinking they would see Anna in the kitchen, waiting for them, but she was not there.

Anna heard the whole conversation from behind the door on the side of the building. She uttered a small gasp, but caught herself quickly before she was heard.

_So it was true, they really do all hate me. _For the first time in history, a small tear could be seen developing in Anna's eye. Her cold nature was gone, and she was actually crying, what many thought was impossible for her to do.

But she was strong, and she was able to regain compositor, and after a moment, she was able to return to the kitchen for breakfast. Though not all of her was returned to normal, and she would never forget what Yoh had said. He really didn't love her, and she knew it deep in her heart.

No one knew that instead of breaking the arrangement, Yoh had succeeded in breaking something far more precious; Anna's heart.


	2. My Life Rests With You

Anna tried as best she could the next few days to forget about Yoh and what he had said, but with difficulty. It was hard for her to love someone that did not love her back. For all she knew, he hated her beyond all others. If no one loved her, than what was her purpose?

Yoh was almost the Shaman King, and after that she would be of little use to the Asakura family. She was there to train him, and that job was almost finished.

_I have little use to Yoh now. He would be much happier if I left him, and he could find someone better than I could ever be. Someone who is just like him, who he would love her like he never could with me. He doesn't need me anymore._

Anna was the first to leave the breakfast table. She went straight to her room without another word. She had spoken to no one the entire morning, her face was hollow and pale, and Yoh could tell something was wrong with her.

She ran up to her room to think. She just needed to think about what she should do. She wanted to be with Yoh forever, but she didn't want to make him unhappy. No, she wanted what was best for him, even if it cost her everything she ever dreamed of; life with him.

She knew that if she left she would have no where to go. She had no family, and no friends. No one loved her. She had always thought that even against all odds she could be happy, because of Yoh. But now that Yoh doesn't love her, she is completely alone in this world.

Tears were flowing from her eyes one again, but she did not care. It was just one more thing that made this day even worse for the young itako.

When she reached her room she threw open the door and flung herself onto her bed. She sobbed silently into her pillow, wishing with everything she had that Yoh would come in and comfort her; but the minutes passed and no one came.

It was then that she saw it, a unique silver arrow head lying on her desktop, to the left of her bed. She picked it up and, in the desperate heat of the moment, her only thought took over her movements.

Downstairs, Yoh was worried about Anna. She had been acting very strange that morning, and he was curious as to why. He slowly and silently crept up the stairs to her bedroom. What he saw next was his worst nightmare; except now, it was real.

Anna was sitting, pale and shaking, on the floor of her room. She was holding the silver arrow to her right wrist, staring at Yoh with darkly sad eyes.

"Anna, don't do it!" Yoh said to her, his voice pleading with her.

"Then tell me you love me! Just this once, I want to hear it from you! I heard what you and Morty were talking about, and I want to know that it wasn't true!" her voice was shaky and raspy as she spoke. Yoh truly surprised her with the next thing he said to her.

"I… can't. Please Anna, don't! Just because I can't say I love you doesn't mean that you have to go to such drastic measures! Why don't we just talk this through?"

"It's too late for that Yoh! It's too late for anything now! I loved you; I gave you everything I had! You can't just talk your way out of this one! I'm sorry Yoh, I tried so hard. I guess I just wasn't worth it."

The next thing he saw was blood; gushing in large amounts, coming from Anna's wrist.


	3. Life or Something Like it

Horror and Disbelief etched across Yoh's face as he watched the blood fall quickly from Anna's wrist. He made a hasty move to get her, but she held the blade edge closer to her neck, threatening more danger for herself.

Yoh had to do something, Anna was losing a lot of blood, and she was growing increacingly paler by the minute. He grabbed the nearest phone, called the hospital, and prayed that they were not too late to save her life.

Anna tried her best to stand up, but staggered and fell, crashing to the ground. Yoh made a move to help her, but she turned her head away, using up a considerable amount of strength. Yoh did not want to hurt her, and so he backed away from her bed. But he stayed in her room the entire time, his eyes not leaving the sight of the blonde itako. Though he could not say that he loved her, he did care for her too much to let this happen to her.

Even Yoh didn't understand fully why he had said that he did not love her. He had some feelings for her, but he couldn't bring himself to call them love. Had he known that Anna meant it when she held the blade to her wrist, Yoh would have most certainly lied about his feelings.

The ambulance arrived about five minutes later to take Anna away. Yoh fought the medical crew to come with her, but they told him that he was not allowed. He would have to wait at the hospital, and they would tell him the news then.

The guilty feeling that Yoh had the next hour in the waiting room was awful. It was his fault that Anna was there in the first place, and it was his fault that she might have killed herself.

Yoh had to wait for two hours in all, counting the time it took to get to the hospital, and he was still unsure of what had happened to Anna. The doctor arrived in a few minutes time after the two hours of waiting, to tell Yoh all about what had happened. Yoh wanted more than anything to know that she was alright, and that everything was going to be just like normal again, but the doctor had other things to say.

"She is going to be alright, for the most part." Yoh breathed a sigh of relief that was quickly replaced by fear. The doctor had said 'for the most part', and that could only mean that there was a catch. Yoh still kept his hope with him that Anna would be able to recover, no matter what it cost him in return.

"She lost a lot of blood, and that can lead to many tragic diseases. In her case, it was not a disease of sorts, but something that may take some time to fix. If you have the patience, sheshould be just fine soon enough." Yoh was glad that she was not dead, and that nothing fatal had happened, but he still could not help wondering what could possibly be wrong with her.

If he could fix it that would be good, but there was still the word _if_. And what if he could not do anything for her? What if she was too far gone to be brought back?

It was then that the doctor continued, with a more shadowed and sullen face. One that made Yoh fearful to know of exactly why his expression had changed so very much.

"I am afraid that Kyoyama Anna has... Amnesia."


	4. My Angel

"Wha- Amnesia?" Yoh stared at the doctor in disbelief. Anna had no recolection of her life since who-knows-when. She could not remember anything, her own life was unfamiliar to her. Did this mean that she did not remember Yoh either? Would she have forgotten all about him?

"I'm afraid so. There was nothing we could do. You may go in and see her now if you want to, she is sleeping at the moment." The doctor said as he lead Yoh to her room, room 117. The doctor left after leaving Yoh outside of her door.

Yoh contemplated seriously for a few minutes whether or not he should go in and see her. He was not sure what he would see, and how bad her condition would be. What if she could never remember him? And if she did, would he ever be able to make it all up to her again? The fact that he had almost lost her, she had almost died because of him, was just too much for him to handle. And now thatthis was happening to her, Yoh acually started to feel sorry for her.

After a few minutes hesitation, Yoh finally decided on seeing Anna after all. He walked into the room. It was hard for him to think that it was _her _room, and that she was the one in the hospital. And it was even worse to think that it was all because Yoh could not just say those simple three words that she wanted for him to say to her.

Yoh walked up to her bedside and sat down beside it. The doctor was right, she was sleeping. Yoh noticed a strand of loose hair over her face and pushed it away, only to see how truly beautiful her face was, even if she was sleeping.

He traced her lips with his finger, wanting more than anything to just lean over and kiss her. But he resisted, telling himself that he did not love her. Though he was beginning to have second thoughts about it all. He pulled his hand away from her and sat in silence for a few moments, occationally smoothing her silky hair back with his hands.

She was so cute when she wasn't angry. Come to think of it, she was usually always angry with him about something, and the sight of her here and sleeping was, well... precious. It was nice to think that she was not all back, she could be just like an angel sometimes. His angel.

'No.' Yoh thought to himself, 'She isn't yours. You don't love her, you said so yourself. She's a witch, she doesn't know how to be nice to you. She is just this way now because she is sleeping, but wait until she wakes up. She is going to start torturing you again, you just wait and see.' But then he realized something that, up until now, he had not even thought of.

'When she wakes up, she will not remember any of this! It will be my chance to make her nice! I just have to get her to think that she was a really nice person before, and she will have to start acting like she was!' Yoh was even surprised by his sudden genius, but he thought about it again and knew that it would be wrong. Telling her something that isn't true would be lying, and he could not do that to her. She had been through so much already... too much. He would just have to make things up as he went along, but he refused to lie completely, unless it was something that he would rather she forget forever; like the reason she was here in the first place.

Yoh knew that it was his fault that she was here. He had refused her the one thing that she wanted... love. It was also the one thing she needed. She had been alone her entire life, without anyone there to love her. She had been through some really hard times, and she had suffered countless times, with no one there to save her from the darkness. She was alone.

He looked back at Anna. She was so precious to him right now, just like an angel without wings. She had fallen, and no one was there to help her up again except for him, and he would make sure he did, too.

"You reallyare all alone in the world. But not anymore..." Yoh whispered to Anna's sleeping form, "my angel."

It was almost like he was falling in love with her all over again.


	5. Is This Goodbye?

Yoh truely believed that he loved her, but it seemed to be a different sort of love. Though he was made happy by her presence, he could never really say that he loved her. The way she slept now reminded him of another time, when they first met.

Yoh sat by Anna's bedside for at least another hour. He promised himself that he would never leave her side, he would do anything for her. No matter what it costed him, he would make her happy, and make it so that she never had to suffer again.

Anna began to slowly stir in her sleep. Yoh was sure that she was about to wake up, any minute now. He just was not sure if he was ready for it. It had been so long since he had seen her, the real her, acting as she usually did. What would she act like now? Would she recognize him? Would she ever forgive him for what he blamed himself for doing to her, the thing that had gotten her there in the first place?

Anna began to awakin. Her eyes slowly opened, half at first, but then she grew used to the light, and she looked up at Yoh with a blank look on her face. I could be easily difined that she did not know what he was doing there, or even where she was. She noticed the happy look on Yoh's face at the sight of her being alright, and she began to smile slightly, but suddenly she began to clench her side in pain and her smile faded quickly.

Anna's face scrunched up in pain as she leaned to her left and clenched her side. She began to cough dryly as her face reddened. Her coughs continued as she fought the urge to throw up. She occationally gaged a bit, but her other symptoms were far worse.

Anna leaned back on her bed, still holding her hand to her side. She stopped coughing just long enough for Yoh to realize that her breathing had changed increadably quick. Her breath was coming in short weazes and gasps, as she fought to stop coughing. She started coughing again, and she had to painfully stop to breathe in large gasps.

Yoh knew something was wrong. He wanted to run out of the room to get the nurse, but the last thing he wanted to do was to leave Anna here by herself again. He had told himself that he would never desert her, and he never would.

"Nurse!" Yoh called out to the open, running to the door and prying it open to get his voice out farther, "Doctor! We need help! Anna needs help! Please, Nurse!" Yoh yelled at the top of his voice, hoping that a doctor or nurse would come to help Anna. Yoh did not leave the room, he was still in the room, just beside the open door.

Yoh looked back at Anna only to see his worst suspicions confirmed. Anna was kneeling over in pain again, and her gasping had gotten worse. She looked as though she was on her last breath. That was exactly what he feared the most.

Yoh ran back over to the side of Anna's bed, kneeling beside her. He took her hand and whispered loving word to her as her breath slowed down considerably. Yoh began crying. His tears obscured his vision as he shook violently. The sight of her in such horrible shape broke his heart.

Anna looked up at Yoh, and although in her eyes was pain, there was also a slight smile. As though she thought she knew him, and loved him. She closed her eyes again, the last thing she heard before she blacked out was Yoh calling her name.

And then her breathing slowed to a stop.


	6. Love At First Sight

Yoh turned away from Anna's unmoving body as the doctors finally rushed frantically into the room. He walked to the window, not wanting anyone to see that he was crying. For the first time in so many years, he was crying for Anna. It reminded him so much of their first encounter, one he would never forget. That was how he had fallen in love with her.

_It was night, a few years previous from when Yoh and Anna had gotten engaged to each other. The night was perfect for stargazing, and that was why a young Yoh Asakura was sitting on the porch of his house, staring up at the star strewn sky. He had a smile spread across his face, as the blissful silence seemed to capture him in its never-ending peace. He sighed as he leaned back farther and onto his back, placing his arms behind his head for support. He was supposed to be training with his grandfather right now, but he often skipped his training, and came here instead. It was so calming... it kept his mind off of everything, so he could clear all unwanted thoughts. That was why he loved it here at night._

_Yoh stood up in an attempt to leave and return home for bed, but a terrible, high pitched scream prevented him from doing so. He turned in time to see a blonde girl running towards him, as though someone was chasing her. He looked behind her, but saw nothing, no one. But she had to have been running from something, he could tell somehow, though he did not know how._

_As she came into closer view, Yoh also noticed something shining upon her simple black dress. He immediatly recognized it as blood; her blood. It was coming from her left side, as though she had recently been beaten there. Sheautomatically beganclenching the very same side with an already crimson hand. Her face had many bruises on it as well._

_She ran straight into him, almost knocking him over. He could tell that she was crying, he saw tears forming in her deep mahogany eyes. Her tears fell onto the dewdropped grass. Her dress was stained with the salty substance, as her eyes were red with crying so hard. She was in really bad shape._

_Yoh held her for a moment, feeling her heart beats lessen as she calmed down.He knew she was going to be fine soon, but he would stay with her just to make certain of that._

_They sat on the ground as Yoh pulled her into a hug, asking her what was wrong and what she was running from. She told him about her abusive parents, and how her father had beat her, she had just bardly escaped from him. He had hit her with a belt; she vowed never to return to her home ever again. She had also told him her name; Anna Kyoyama. It was a beautiful name, Yoh loved it. He loved everything about her, she was perfect in his eyes._

_Yoh embraced her as he told her to look up at the stars. She did, as she slowly relaxed in his arms. It was not because of the stars, it was because of Yoh. And she knew she loved him, at that very moment. She knew that she would never leave him, she would never go back to the home she once knew. She could never call that place a home. __Yoh told her that he would never force her to go back, he would protect her no matter what._

_They sat together under the stars for several hours, just to be there, for no other reason than to just share each others company. That was all that mattered in the world to them both. _

_As the night was ending, the sun began to set. Yoh stood up to go back inside, but Anna grabbed his arm. Yoh turned, as his eyes met hers. _

_"Don't worry. I will protect you, forever. No matter what, I will always be there for you... I promise."And for the first time all night, possibly the first time ever to her, Anna smiled. She knew everything would be alright now. _

_She kissed him upon his right cheek. He smiled as he leaned over to her, although they had only just met, he knew that he was in love, and so he kissed her. This time, on the lips, and much longer and more intimate as well. _

_It was as though they were meant for each other, and Anna knew it. As long as she had him, sh__e would have something to live for._

Yoh looked back at the doctors. They were using at least four machines in an attempt to save Anna's life. Without their permission, he walked over to her bedside and grabbed her hand. It was a little cold, and he began to worry that it was much too late for her life to be saved. It was then that his memory shocked him back to reality as he realized that even if it was too late, he would stay by her side. He could not let her be alone again, she had suffered too much already. He remembered what he had saidto herso long ago.

"I promise." Yoh whispered for only Anna to hear. He would stay here no matter what happened, because that was what he had promised, and he intended upon keeping that promise.

"No matter what."


	7. The Road to Together: Part 1

The doctors continued to help Anna all through the next few hours. They perfomed a number of extensive things to help make Anna better, but it seemed as though she would never get better. But there was stil hope, and that was what had kept Anna alive so far, perhaps it could help her live here, too.

Yoh stayed with them all the while. He would never leave her again. He had made a promise, and it was the most important promise he could ever make. It could possibly save Anna's life.

After about four hours of waiting, and much anticipation, the doctors stepped back from Anna and spoke to Yoh, "There is nothing more we can do but wait. If she wakes up, she can go home tomorrow. There is a chance that she might remain in this coma for quite a while. We have done all we can do, I am truly sorry we could not do more."

_A coma! _Yoh thought to himself, _But what_ _if she never wakes up? What if I can not save her? This was all my fault, the fact that she is here in the first place. Why can I not tell her that I love her?_

The doctors walked out of the room, leaving Yoh alone with Anna. He was tired after so many hours of waiting, but he refused to go to sleep. He wanted to be there when Anna woke up again... _if _Anna woke up again...

Hours later Yoh was still there. He would occationally speak to Anna, but apart from that, everything was silent. It was peaceful, just Yoh and Anna. And although she did not know it, Yoh was glad for that. Although she was unconsious, Yoh could almost feel her presence, as though she was sharing the same moment, feeling what he had felt all along. Yoh smiled as he stiffled out a yawn. He was so tired, and he was beginning to nod off to sleep. He was about to drift off, when he heard a small cough to his right. He cocked his head to that same side, and he heard his name being called. And it was Anna who had said it.

"Yoh. Where are you? Yoh? Yoh!" Anna jolted upright as her eyes scanned the room, searching for a familiar face... but there was none. Her face was red and glazed with cold sweat, and her eyes were shifting back and forth to the door and the rest of her suroundings.

Her eyes pausedon Yoh. She looked him over greatly, but could find no familiarity about him. She looked as though she was shaking slightly, probably from fear of not knowing where she was. She could remember nothing, not even who she was. She was lost, with no one to guide her... except for Yoh, who she did not know.

"Anna! You're alright! And you know my name, does that mean you remember me?" Yoh said excitedly. He hoped Anna remembered him, and that she would be alright after all. Though there was sure to be a complication or two in the process; and what if she wanted to know if he loved her again? Would he be able to lie to her this time?

Anna shook her head vigorously, as her sad eyes peered into Yoh's brown ones. She looked at him pleadingly. She looked helpless, and Yoh was there to help. He would do anything it took to make sure she lived happily, and that she never ended up in this palce ever again.

"No, I don't. Your name is Yoh? I didn't know. That name is the only thing I remember, everything else is blank. Why do I remember _your_ name? What was I to you, was I nice?" Anna looked so confused, it was a lot to remember, and a lot more to forget. Yoh thought for a moment before answering her.

"We were friends. And yes, you were nice... very nice." Yoh smiled as he said this, and Anna did the same.Their eyes met, and for a moment it seemed like nothing had changed. They were together, and that was all that mattered. No matter what life threw at them, they would catch it... together.

But there was still the matter of Anna's health to deal with, as another outburst of illness like that which had just happened could cause a major crisis, a never ending disease, or even worse. They had made it this far together, and they would have to do the rest together as well. Even if it meant suffering together, which was what was sure to happen sooner or later, they would outlast all illnesses as long as they had each other. Yoh just had to find this out for himself, and Anna had to remember it.

_I don't want to hurt Anna, not again. And maybe we can be more than friends this time. I would like to think there is a likely possibility of that. Andmaybe I can love her again, just like she had loved me before this had happened. Maybe I already love her._


	8. The Road to Together: Part 2

The next day, Anna was released from the hospital with Yoh. She was given a small tube with pills in it, and Yoh was instructed to have her take one every day, in order to prevent her from sliping off into a coma again. Aparently, it was not the fact that she had hurt herself that had effected her so much, it was the shock that had come with what had happened to her before hand.

Yoh walked Anna home, explaining to her as much as he felt that he needed to. He told her where they were going, and made up the story that it was still an Inn, and that she was merely staying there for the time being. He had hoped that she would just forget to ask him about the past, and to his relief, she had.

He tried to smile at her, but visions of the incident not too long ago kept floating into his mind. That it was all his fault, and that she may no lead a full life because of his mistake.

_If I had only comforted her, and told her the truth to begin with, she would not even have to believe the lies that I tell her. I wish I could tell her the truth, I wish that somehow we could just start over again, form the beginning, but it is muc too late for that. I just hope that her memory will return soon. Until then Anna, I refuse to make the same mistake twice._

He turned to Anna and gave her an akward smile. She returned it, equally akward, though with a small trace of joy concealed within it. She was inwardly surprised by how familiar Yoh was to her, and how that single memory of him seemed to vanish before she could even grasp it, but it was that memory that made her so happy.

Perhaps, if she tried hard enough, she could make her own memories, new ones, that could make up for the old ones if they were to never return again. After all, if her old life was good, then why was she not able to remember all of it? But she could remember Yoh, and so he must have been there for her through all of her old life. She would rely upon him to be there for her now, to be her guide.

Anna looked over to Yoh again. He smiled simply, but something seemed to be troubling him again. She had seen him like this before, he must have been worried about something. And she knew that it must have been her, Anna,that Yoh was worried about.

She grabbed his hand in an attempt to comfort him, to ease his worry. She had expected that he would pull away, or that his smile would fade, but instead, he looked her straight in the eyes and smiled, a genuine smile.

_Maybe my new life will be better than the old one. Too badYoh said that we were just friends back then. I hardly even know him, and yet, I seem to love him now. The way he smiles, a special memory that I will always treasure._

And they walked back to the Inn together, hands intertwinned and eyes fixed on one another. Though it seemed too early to jump to conclusions, at that moment in time, they both needed each other so much more than they thought they did.

It was as though they were both being given a second chance at life, when their old lived had been replaced by new ones. And even if Anna was to regain her memory at that very moment, chances are that she would chose to forget.

They still had a long way to go to get to a happy ending, but as they entered the Inn, it seemed as though it was no longer the place it once was.

_She seems so happy for having just gotten out of the hospital. And what about our other friends? How will she accept them? This could be a new beginning for her, but it could also be the end of all of her happy memories forever. What will she do when I finally have to tell her about everything that I have been neglecting, her past, and who she was?_

The worries had just begun, especially when they entered the Inn, to find that their happy ending was far from that. And tobegin with, a nightmare was just about to become a reality.And it all started with one name... Hao Asakura.


	9. Life or Death

As they walked into the Inn, they both saw him. Hao Asakura was laying on the couch, legs crossed and arms folded. The long-haired boy looked up as Yoh and Anna walked in, a smile spreading vastly over his face. It had been only weeks since the first round of the Shaman Tournament had ended, and no one would ever expect Hao to be at Yoh's house. But, no matter how you looked at it, having Hao Asakura in your house was _definately _a bad thing.

Anna was the first to notice him, and his familiarity to Yoh, but she knew that this man was bad news, and she could tell just by reading the look on Yoh's face. It was not that of blissful joy, but of worry and panic. Anna quickly grabbed Yoh's arm and sank down behind him. He looked down for a moment at her, and then backed up a bit to shield Anna more. It was comforting, and he could feel her grip on his hand lessening a bit, but she was still scared.

Hao sat up, causing Anna to back away even farther, pulling Yoh along with her. Hao grimaced a bit, and then spoke, with a chilling voice that frightened Anna even more than she already was.

"Why, hello there _little _brother. And Anna is back from the hospital, I see. Don't worry, give her to me, and I'll take great care of her." Hao's smile widened as he saw Yoh tighten his grip on Anna.

"There is no way that I will let you take her!" Yoh sneered at Hao, hatred reflecting in his voice.

"Well, I'm afraid you do not have much choice in the matter." Hao shot back. He then proceded to call forth his Spirit of Fire and, turning it into a sword, he challenged Yoh to a fight.

_Anything for Anna. I can not let Hao take her. If she never gets her memory back, I want her to at least forget Hao. There are some things that she is better off having never known, and Hao is one of them. Even if it uses up all of my strength, I WILL defeat Hao. I WILL win, for Anna's sake. I have to win._

Yoh brought Amidamaru out, and put him into the Intiquity, causing a giant sword, much the same as Hao's, to appear in his hands. He stepped away from Anna a bit, and she backed away into a corner of the room, away from the fighting.

And so, the two boys continued to fight. Yoh had a cut across his chest, two on his arms, and one on his face as well from the fight. Hao, on the other hand, had none, and he certainly had more energy left than Yoh, who was panting now. Now truly enraged at Hao, Yoh was putting forth more effort than he could spare to save Anna, but he had little furyoku left, and much less than Hao had to begin with.

Hao launched another attack, sending Yoh flying backwards, where he landed across the room. He walked right up to Yoh and, stabbing him right through the chest, he sent him out of conciousness. Yoh could hardly breathe, and he was barely alive. Anna made a move to run towards him and help, but Hao stopped her.

"Now now, Anna. He will be fine, but all of that can change, and very quickly might I add. He will remain alive, but only under my circumstances. Now, if you come with me willingly, I will leave him here with the slight chance that he will live. If you refuse, then I will have no choice but to kill him right here. So, what will it be? What is your decision? If you really love him, you will do what it right and come with me."

Anna thought for a moment. It was true, she loved Yoh and it would hurt her too much to see him die because of her. But, Yoh had fought so well to keep her _away_ from this man, and it would be hard to defy his best wishes. Still, what was best for Yoh was much better than what was best for her. And seeing him die would just be too painful.

"I-I'll come with you. I do not want to see him get hurt because of me." Anna said, barely more audible than a whisper. Hao's smile increased as he broke his spirit control in order to bring forth his Spirit of Fire in full mode. He grabbed Anna in his arms and, walking outside to his spirit, he jumped on top of it and took Anna away. Away from Yoh, away from her only safety, and away from everything that she had grown to love.

She did not know where she was going, or what was going to happen to her, but there was still a chance that Yoh would live, and perhaps she would see him again someday. Anna had traded her freedom, her very life, for the chance that Yoh would live.

But, there was still a chance that Yoh would not live, and that, without him, and in the hands of Hao, neither would Anna.


	10. Taken

"I think he's finally coming around. Horo, don't shake him, that will only make it worse!" came a voice from justoverof the boy that was laying on the ground, a pool of blood surrounding him. His breating was labored, and it steadily quickened as his eyes opened a crack. His eyes eventually adjusted themselves to the light, and they fully opened. He tried to sit up straight, but he keeled over in pain and was forced back down. He looked around him quickly and saw Ren to his left, Horo to his right, and Faust standing over him slightly, dozens of operating tools in hand.

"Yoh! You're all right! We were all so worried about you, even Ren!" Horo said, pointing at Ren who, in turn, poked him furiously in the face with his hair. Yoh laughed a bit, but stopped almost immediately after feeling a heavy pain in his chest.

"Don't even try to get up. I have done all I could for now, almost have to tap into the old Faust's arts to save you!" Faust chuckled a bit, but it subsided as he noticed a strange look, that of worry, upon Yoh's face.

"Wh-where is Anna?" Yoh said, panic slowly forming on his face. The others looked at him once, and they too knew that something was wrong. They asked Yoh what was going on, and he told them all about it. They were left speachless, with confused looks upon thier faces. They stared at Yoh in desbelief for a moment, but they knew that he would never lie, and so what he had said had to have happened.

"But Yoh, are you sure it that it was Hao who took her?" Ren asked, knowing only too well that Hao was not supposed to be in this country, let alone this world. He was not even supposed to be alive anymore. Yoh merely nodded and went back to staring at the floor, his face turning red from his frustration.

"Oh man, this is bad! What if he hurts her? I mean, even though this is Anna we're talking about, she's completely defensless if she doesn't even know who he is! Or what he's capable of! And how are we supposed to know where he went? None of this makes any sense at all!" Horo shouted, having lost all patience in the silent people before him. He stood up, fire in his eyes, and so did Ren.

"Well, there is only one way to find out. We have to find him, and quickly too. We'll all help you, Yoh. This is not just about Anna, it is about Hao too. Him coming back could mean so much more than just one life being lost, and we all have some sort of reason to help you to defeat him. Now, let's go!" Ren shouted, poking Yoh to get him to move. Yoh stared up at him with lost eyes and, although none of them said it, they knew at that moment exactly how much Anna meant to Yoh, had meant to him, and always will. And it was their responsibility to help get her back.

They were just about to step outside and look in any possible places that Hao could be for Anna, when that question and many other ones were answered. And it all started with the letter, from Hao, that was sent to Yoh by way of one of his followers. Not only did it tell where Anna was, but it told of an important secret, one known by no one, that explained who Anna really is...

_Dear brother,_

_I have taken Anna for the time being. You may try to save her, but know this, it will not be easy, for you. If you live, you may have her, but if you fail, which you will, you die and she becomes mine. She and I are hiding out in the mountains near Funbari. Why am I telling you this? It is very simple, you try to save her, you die, and I do not have to go through the trouble to kill you off myself._

_But, I must tell you one more thing before you venture off to the mountainside, there is a secret I know, that may make you change your mind about marrying Anna. You see, she is, and has been for many years, my first wife._

_Love Your Otouto, _

_Hao Asakura_


	11. The Rest of the Letter

Yoh gasped, turning to his friends. They all had blank looks on thier faces, but they knew something bad was happening. Yoh did not say anything, quite on the contrairy, he simply handed Ren the letter, without another word to be said. The look on his face was more or less, empty. He did not know exactly what to think about all this, and to make matters worse, he had absolutely no idea how to solve the logic behind this either. How could she be his _first_ wife, when she was only Yoh's age, and Hao was a thousand years old? There was no reason why this should be true, but Yoh knew that his brother was speaking the truth, and that was the only reason that he had given away their location. He wanted Yoh to back out of the whole thing and leave him alone, and for a moment, that was what Yoh thought of doing.

Ren passed around the sheet of paper silently, everyone taking turns to read it, until everyone was finished. They all had a million things to say, but none of them wanted to hurt Yoh, and so they all kept quiet. Yoh felt like crying; not only was there a possibility that he would never see Anna again, but even if he did, she was already spoken for. So, why had she never told him about she and Hao?

The last person to read the letter handed it back to Yoh who, much to everyone else's surprise, crumpled it up in his hand, and stood up, fire and a certain longing in his eyes. Even if Anna was Hao's first wife, she was meant to be his, and he was going to see to it that it stayed that way, even at the risk of his very own life.

The others looked up at him, and they all stood up, if they weren't already standing. This was impossible news that they had just found out, but for some odd reason, they all seemed to believe what the note had said.

It was almost as though Yoh did not belive it fully. He was going to save Anna, no matter what, and one way or another, he intended upon hearing the truth, and all of it. And Anna could not even remember any of her past, so it would be no big deal what had happened that long ago, was it?

Yoh stormed out of the house, the other's following him closely. He tossed the note on the floor and walked away, to where Anna was. He was going to find her and bring her back, and he would face each and every danger that came along, just to be with her at long last.

But, as he was walking out the door, he did not notice the small passage written on the back of the letter. Neither did his friends, but if they had, they would have seen that this was what it said:

_**P.S. We had a child, and he is here also, waiting to finally meet you.**_


	12. Dealing with the End

Yoh and his friends stood in front of a large mountian area, having safely made it more than half way to where Anna was. She was just beyond this large stretch of mountainous land, but Yoh had remembered the letter, and that it had told of tasks he had to complete before he reached her. He had not had to indure anything so far, so he knew that the worst was yet to come.

So there they all stood, Ren, Horo, Ryu, and Faust,having beenthe only people who could make it. Their 'trip' had been going smoothly, but it appeared that they had just met with thier first obsticle, the largest mountains in all of Tokyo. There was no beginning and no end; no entrance and no exit. It was impossible for them to climb over them, even if they used their shamanic powers, and they were too thick to simply blast away. This was going to pose as a major problem, especially if this was only the first of many things to come.

The shamans were silent for a moment, thinking about any possible ways to get around it, but it was also too wide for that. After a few minutes of hesitation, eventually they came up with the idea of splitting up and seperately searching the entire area. They all went their seperate ways, looking for some way to get past all of this.

Eventually, after searching for almost an hour, Faust was the one that found a way around, or acually through, the mountain. As it turned out, there was a hidden passageway in the middle of a small mountainous cliff near where they had started looking. No one would have seen it unless they looked very closely, and no one would have wanted to got through it unless they had to. In this case, it was there last choice.

Yoh was the first one to enter the extremely cramped, in other words small, area that turned out to be much longer than they had thought. The tunnel at times seemed as though it was getting smaller, but when they were about to turn back because of lack of oxygen, another passage seemed to open up all of a sudden. And before they knew it, they were ariving at a large, or at least larger than where they had just been, enclosure. There was a lake in the middle of a room-like space, and there was also only one exit, which was right across the room. It seemed easy enough, just get to the opposite side and leave.

They started for the exit, but were all caught off guard by seven men, all presumably from Hao's team, which was easy to tell, seeing as they had fought them all beforehand. Ren snarled at the Peyote skeleton (episodes 59 and 60, or book 17), and the other six were all familiar as well. The shamans would have been able to take them on any day, but they were hit quickly with a surprise attack, knocking them all into the lake below. They tried to get back to the surface, but it appeared as though the lake had been frozen over, when in fact it had been covered by a thick layer of steel and bolted shut. They were trapped, and the only exit was one feet above then, beyond the unbreakable steel sheet.

Hao's group of shaman did not leave the scene right away, on the contrary, they stayed by the lake for a few minutes, making sure that none of the shaman below was able to escape. When almostfour minutes had passed, and no motion from under the lake had been sensed, they left, more than likely to set the next deadly trap, should their enemies escape.

Meanwhile, from beneath the steel incasing, Yoh was frantic, Horo was going insane, Faust was trying dispite fearful odds to keep his faith in Elisa, and even Ren had lost his cool and was getting a bit jumpy. It had beenfive minutes, and even though they were shaman trained for this sort of thing, they were still human, and therefore had little life left in them.

They all knew it was hopeless to try, for they had tried everything they knew, and nothing had worked. Yoh knew in his heart that this had been his fault, and that they were all going to drown, were drowning, because of his stupid mistake. He almost forgot about Anna, they were looking for her, but in the process, they had all fallen into Hao's trap. They would never make it out of this one, and even if they had, more deadly traps awaited them.

It was all over, their adventures, their fights, battles, what they had all been working for, the Shaman Fight, and what they had aquired in the process, friendship. Now they all knew that it was time to let all of that go; what had they been trying to work for anyway? Only one could be the Shaman King, so what were they doing? They had come together during the tournament, but now it was all about something more. They had found what they were looking for, and now their lives were fullfilled. They did not even try their hardest when they were trying to get out of the steel trap; there was nothing left to fight for, and nothing left to live for.

Yoh turned to his friends, who nodded as though knowing what he was going to say before he had to say anything. It seemed too early, but they knew they had to say goodbye. Goodbye to all memories, everything. They were as ready as they could be, all except for Yoh; he still had one attatchment to this world.

He turned to his friends and, with one last gesture said: "I'm sorry everyone, this was all my fault..." although they could not hear him, they knew what he meant, and this was more than that, it was a way for him to get out what he had on his mind, "And I am sorry to you too, I failed you... Anna."


	13. Pain and Discovery

Yoh awoke with a start, staring up at the ceiling above him. At first he thought that this must be just a dream, or perhaps he really was dead, and this was the afterlife. But then he came to grips with reality, and he realized that he had indeed survived. He took a long breath of sweet, fresh air, but he was soon frantic again. Had his friends survived as well?

Yoh sat up quickly, looking around him for any sign that they were alright. But none of them were in the room with him, and so the worst thoughts raced through his mind all at once. He noticed a small door to his right, and a light coming from it. He knew that it was leading to the outside, but what was outside, he did not really want to know.

But he knew that he needed to find out for himself, and so he raced out of the room and out the door, finding himself standing in the middle of a large field, which appeared to be too vast to see all the way to its end, but also so weak and small. It was as though the field was immaginary, but when he touched the ground, Yoh found it to be quite real. Lost in thought, Yoh had almost forgotten about the sole reason that he had come in the first place.

Yoh was about to call out for his friends, but he was saved the trouble when a small boy of about twelve ran up to him, a stern look on his face, but also one that showed kindness. Yoh knew to trust the boy, and so when the boy told him to come with him, he agreed right away.

The small child led Yoh to another cave-like room, telling him that his friends would be there. And, sure enough, there sat Faust, Rio, and Horo, all waiting for him. Yoh was about to smile and ask them questions, happy to see them, but upon seeing the sullen looks on their faces, he thought better of it. He was about to ask what was wrong, but he knew just by looking to see who was there and who was not.

"Where is Ren?" Yoh asked, not truely wanting to know the answer. But, to his surprise, it was the small boy who answered, in a tone quite unlike that of a child.

"Your friend, the short one with the purple spike, was injured greatly. He is still alive, but for how long, no onecan know for sure. You may go in and see him if you wish, but do not expect much from him. He is still unconsious." The boy's voice was so calm, but he spoke in a tone that sent chills up Yoh's spine. Yoh nodded, not sure what else to do, and went into the next room, where he was told Ren was to be staying in.

He found Ren, unconsious as he was told. His breathing was short, and he looked paler than usual. Yoh tried to convince himself that Ren was just faking, or that he had acold, but even he knew of the truth. Ren would not live much longer.

Ren's hair was down, the normally purple locks were now more black looking than ever. His golden eyes were closed, and his chest rose slowly with his breathing. Even though Yoh told himself that it was all going to work out, now he could not. Ren was possibly never going to wake up, and he had to be prepared for the worst.

The small boy from before came in, carrying a wet rag to put on Ren's forehead to help with the pain. Yoh's eyes met the boy's grey ones, and he knew that something was different about him. He reminded Yoh strangely of a Patch, but he had the cold, stern look of someone he knew too well, and missed too dearly. He reminded Yoh of Anna.

"Thank you for saving me, and for doing your best for Ren. But I have one question for you: what is your name?" Yoh asked the boy, and the boy's eyes opened a bit wider before he answered, in a voice that was much softer than before.

"My name is Hana. I'm the son of Master Hao, and Lady Anna is my mother."


	14. Chirei: Spirit of Water

"Hao... and Anna's... son?" Yoh asked, confused at what the small boy Hana had said. He thought that he had heard him right, but, what he said could not be true. Yoh was sure that Anna, _his_ Anna, would never... but yet, part of him knew that it was true. Ever since Hao had taken Anna, everything seemed possible, even this.

"Yes. I am Hana, their twelve-year-old son. Why; what did you think I said?" Hana said, looking at Yoh suspiciously, as though asking what he had to do with him. Why would it matter if this stranger knew his parents?

"But, your parents are both fourteen, right? And you're twelve?" Yoh asked, still confused, but sure that what the boy said next would answer all of his questions. The boy laughed a bit before continuing in a voice that told Yoh that he was asking for the obvious.

"Well, I suppose there is not harm in telling _you._ My father, Hao, has the ability to reincarnate himself. In his first reincarnation, he had a wife, my mother, Anna. Immediatly after they were married, my father bestowed the ability onto my mother, as well as unto me. But, since I am just a child, I can not reincarnate as often as they can, so I am younger still, and they are the age they are now. Does that answer your question?" Hana finished and began walking out of the door. Yoh was about to stop him but thought better of it.

Yoh felt sick, as though he had a lump in his throat that refused to come out. He felt as though he was choking, but the strain on his mind felt much worse. His mind was blank, as though if he tried to think of anything, he would explode from the pressure. It all made sense, even Hana's age. But, if Anna was to be married to him, than why did Yoh not know about it? Could it be that she did not trust him?

Ren stirred in his sleep, moaning a bit as he appeared to be regaining consiousness. Yoh quickly ran over to him, feeling his forehead. He was burning up and sweating. Yoh's heart plummeted at this; he did not want to lose another person he cared about. First Anna had been taken away from him, and now Ren did not seem as though he would live much longer.

Ren started shivering a bit, and his eyes were starting to open. Golden orbs shot open a bit, though not enough to see out of. Ren looked in Yoh's direction, his soft eyes staring blindly in his general direction.

"Yoh?" Ren asked, his voice raspy and quiet. Yoh knew what was about to happen, even before it did, but he could never have been less prepared than he was then.

"Yes, Ren, it's me, I'm here." Yoh put his hand on Ren's shoulder to show him that he was there for him. ToYoh's surprise, Ren did not flinch or try to pull away upon being touched. He seemed to be quite the opposite, comforted by the fact that someone was there for him.

"Yoh, I'm sorry. I couldnot helped you in your journey. Tell Anna... hello for me... when you find her..." Ren smiled a bit, but then he suddenly clutched his side in pain, and then his body went limp. Yoh knew that he was gone, but that did not stop him from crying. Ren had been one of his best friends, and he had been there to help him look for Anna. It was his fault that Ren had been killed, and it made Yoh re-think continuing. He did not want anyone else to get hurt, all because of him.

But something inside of Yoh told him that this was a better reason to move on. Ren had died for Anna, and told him to go on to save him. If worse came to worse, Yoh knew what he needed to do. He would gladly sacrifise himself for his friends, and for Anna. To make sure that no one else got hurt... would be worth Yoh risking his life for.

_Anna, Ren's last request was for me to find you. And I will, no matter what it takes. I do not care if you have a son, or what Hao meant to you. If it makes you happy, you can be with him, but I would gladly do anything just to see you once more. Wait for me Anna, because I am coming for you._

Yoh came out of the cave, red marks under his eyes, but he was no longer crying. He had cried too much to have anything left to cry out ever since Anna had been taken from him. The others saw him, but none of them smiled. They all saw the look on Yoh's face and knew right away that it had happened. Yoh knew that they were just trying to help, but to see them all get hurt would kill Yoh inside, worse than physical death could ever hurt. Even if it killed him, he would find Anna alone. He did not want them getting involved in any of this.

"I'm leaving." Yoh said, surprising everyone when he just left without them. They stood up to follow him, but he turned around quickly, yelling at them to stay and not risk getting hurt again. But before anything else could happen, they all heard a slight craking sound coming from behind them. They turned around in time to see Hana walking out of a crumbling building, the cave where they had been just moments before, holding a small, blue sword.

"Chirei, come!" Hana shouted, and all of a sudden a large spirit ally appeared beside him. It looked just like this Spirit of Fire, only this one was blue. Hana smiled a sadistic smile, more like a smirk, and held his sword up as though to fight with it.

"Spirit of Water, oversoul!" Hana yelled, and the blue spirit integrated with his sword, forming something that looked just like Hao's spirit sword.

"Hana, what's-" Yoh began, but he was cut off as Hana came charging at him with full force, something that only one other person Yoh knew would do. He fought just like...

"I just got a message from my father, Yoh Asakura! It seems you two know each other!" Hana said, his oversoul getting larger as he spoke, his furyoku must have been great, "You are my new enemy, and you shall soon meet the same fate as the purple-haired boy who was my last enemy!"

_Ren..._


	15. Storm of Betrayal and Murder

**Only a few chapters left, and a very epic turning point soon! I have a new proposition: if I get ten reviews per chapter, I will update! Of course, if I do not, I might still update, but it will not be as quick. I just want to get at least 100 reviews, so please, help me realize my dream! DTA**

Hana launched his oversoul, sending Yoh flying backwards from the force of it. Hana was almost as strong as his father, and Yoh knew that he would have to fight him for real if he wanted to win. The others were powering up their oversouls as well, but they could never go up against a boy with as much furyoku as Hana, so it was up to Yoh. This was his fight.

Yoh had once looked at Hana with a look of pity, knowing that he had to be the son of that monster, Hao Asakura. But now, the only look that Yoh gave to the boy, was a look of hatred. Yoh would not take another person's life, and he knew that he had to do everything possible to avoid doing so now.

Hana looked as though he would charge at Yoh next, but instead, he went straight for Horo, catching him off guard, and stabbing him right through his stomach. Horo fell to the ground, coughing up blood, and his oversoul weakened and fell apart. Faust rushed to Horo's side, trying to help him as best he could. That left only Rio and Yoh.

Rio tried to hold off Hana until Faust was done, but Yoh was the one doing most of the fighting. Yoh was enraged about what had happened to Ren, and what could happen to Anna if he did not get to her soon. Hana was smirking, fighting off Rio first so as to get to Yoh last, and have him suffer at the loss of his friends. Yoh was left standing, speechless, as Hana went for his friends. Yoh was in a sort of daze, and Hana knew that he would not fight him, for he did not want to kill him anyway. Yoh would never take anyone's life, especially one that belonged to the son of his beloved.

Yoh regained composour just as he hear his friend's shouts of pain. He turned to see Rio, a large gash in his arm, fighting to stay standing from other injuries as well. Yoh shook his head a bit, and then he knew what he must do. It did not help anyone if he just stood there, and so he knew, if he had to, he would fight, even if it was with the son of Anna. He was also the son of Hao, and _that _he could not forgive.

Yoh saw Hana turn, going for Faust. This was his opportunity to hit Hana, when he had his back turned. Yoh charged his furyoku, so that most of what he had would go into this last shot. Yoh just hoped that it would be enough, for this was all that he had left.

Yoh came up from behind, surprising Hana as he stabbed him from the back. Hana had hardly enough time to turn around when he saw Yoh's sword, piercing him through his back and out his chest. Hana collapsed on the hard ground, coughing and sputtering. The look on Yoh's face was sullen, and there was no trace of a smile left. He had nothing to smile about, it was as though he was living a nightmare, a very real one, only now, he was unable to wake up.

Yoh walked past Hana's body towards his friends. He noticed the pale look on Horo's face, and he knew what had happened to him. Faust had a sad look on his face as he saw Yoh.

"I could not overcome death, and I now know that I never will. I am truly sorry, I wish there was more I could do for him." Faust spoke, his voice shaking. Yoh tried to give him a look as though to say 'it's not your fault', but he could not get the look of pain off of his face. Rio stood up from behind him, clutching his arm tightly as blood flowed from it. His look questioned what they were going to do next, but Yoh knew what had to be done.

"You guys go back and find help. I have to go on and find Anna." Yoh said, the tone in his voice was so unemotional, as though all of his feelings had gone when his friends and Anna had left him. The others were about to question him, but then Yoh did the unexpected. He took his previously charged oversoul and aimed it right at him friends, threatening to charge it at them if they did not do as he had told them to. They looked at him with a sad look on each of their faces, but they did as they were told, and solemnly began to walk away, as Yoh started towards the mountains.


	16. Death: A Lust for Revenge

**Last update for a while! Short chapter, I know, but it is very action-packed! So I make up for the length with quality. I have been doing disclaimers, or author notes if you want to call them that, lately for one reason: this fic will be coming to an end soon. But I still have a good few chapters left in me. I will not be listing any more of the tasks Yoh had to do, because I can't think of any, and I don't want this to be too long of a story. One last thing, be warned, what happens at the end of this chapter is real, it does happen! R&R!**

"What do you want from me?" Anna asked Hao, frightened by his appearance and also scared of what he had done to Yoh. He was gripping her arm tightly, and she had to fight back the urge to cry. She fought her way away from him, but he grabbed her arm again, this time so tightly that Anna literally cried out loud.

Hao could tell that Anna was scared, and that was what he had wanted all along. She was weak; she had no power. She would not fight back eventually, giving Hao all of the strength. He could make her do anything, and she would not have to will to stop him. Not now that her precious Yoh was gone, or at least gone to her. She had nothing left to fight for... nothing left to live for.

"Just for you to be here with me, and become my Shaman Queen. And also, to forget about that stupid Yoh Asakura." Hao said, leaning incloser to Anna. But she pulled away forcefully and began shouting at him, not caring what was to happen to her now.

"Do not call Yoh stupid!" She yelled at him. She knew Yoh was gone, but the memory of him was still vivid in her mind. He was the only one person to ever treat her kindly, as far as she could remember.

Yoh had Anna that they were friends before, but she had known that was all they would ever be. She just wanted to see Yoh again, even if he did not return her feelings, she wanted him to know... how much she loved him .She would not give up on him so easily; although she had seen Hao stab him before he took her away, she still hoped that she would see him again, one way or another.

"Just face it, he is not coming back. You saw what I did to him back there. He is gone for good. Now come." Hao said, reaching out an arm and trying to grab Anna's hand again. She fought him, pulling away with all of her might.

"NO!" She screamed, pushing him away and attempting to run. Hao was beginning to get frusterated. If he could not have her, no one could. He knew that Yoh was still alive, and he would have to finish him off sooner or later. But in the mean time, he would deal with her first.

Hao snatched up a sword that was lying on the ground next to him. It was the Antiquity, one of Yoh's swords. Hao had taken it from Yoh when he had knocked him out when he had stabbed him earlier. He charged some of his furyoku into it, making it considerably larger than it was before. Hao then ran after Anna, who had just gone outside, knowing too well what he had to do, and smirking at the thought of doing it.

/Page Break/

Yoh had just finished off a number of Hao's followers, and was coming upon a cave in the mountains which must have been Hao's hideout. Yoh was walking towards it, however, when a girl came running out, crying, her tears falling all over the ground and onto her black dress. He knew who it was right away.

"Anna!" Yoh shouted, running to her. She looked shocked to see him, but a large smile spread across her face all the same. She stopped crying and ran harder, trying to reach Yoh. The smile on her face widened as she realized that this was all real, and that she was finally going to be with her love. Yoh was smiling as well, for it seemed as though his nightmare had finally ended.

But fate had chosen to be cruel that day, and Hao Asakura came running out as well. It seemed as though Yoh would get to Anna before he did, but Hao already had his, or rather Yoh's, oversoul charged into his sword. Hao used the thrust created from his oversoul to give him more speed, and soon he was closer to Anna than Yoh was by about two feet, but that was enough for him.

Hao pointed Yoh's sword forward at Anna, the tip pointing right at her. Right when she heard him and turned around, the sword jolted right through her. She hit the ground with a thud, the sword still in her. Her eyes looked blank, staring into space, empty, as though nothing was there. Her eyes were lifeless.

Yoh ran to her faster, feeling her arm forher pulse. She was ice cold, frozen cold. She lay completely still, no pulse; her heart had stopped beating. Her skin was pale, and a puddle of blood surrounded her. Tears streamed quickly from Yoh's eyes, falling on the ground next to his love. Her blood soaked through his clothing, staining him completely red. Yoh did not notice, all he saw was Anna, lying there, motionless, eyes forever shut closed... dead.

"If I could not have her, no one could!" Hao said in a maniacal way, as though mocking Yoh of his feelings and for his love. "It is your sword that killed her though, and it is your fault she is dead. I wish I could say that you will see her soon, but where I'm sending you, you will never see anyone ever again!"

_I'm so sorry Anna. I was too late to save you. I was too late to tell you... how much I love you..._


	17. A Decision That Lasts Forever

**What I meant by what happened at the end was real was that in this story, Anna does die. This happened to her for real and she is dead now. There are only about four more chapters, including this one, to come, so keep the reviews coming as well! At this point, I needabout 7 reviews before I update, so that I can reach my goal and more! And I would also like to thank those of you who reviewed every single chapter, this story is for you!**

Yoh looked down at Anna, knowing that she had died the second she had been stabbed. Disbelief faded from his face, only to be clouded by rage. He would kill Hao at any cost, even though he knew that it would not bring Anna back. Hao had to be punished for what he did to her, and for what he did to Yoh in the process.

Yoh's eyebrows knitted together as his eyes narrowed slightly, his cheerful smile vanished only to be replaced by a loatheful frown. He pulled his remaining sword from its sheath, silently pumping furyoku into it. The sword grew to be as large as a ten story building, but Yoh did not bother to shrink it. He wanted to make as much of Hao disappear with one blow as was possible.

Hao smirked as he called forth his Spirit of Fire, immediatly turning it into a sword to match Yoh's, only Hao's was red in color. Yoh wasted no time in attacking, and he caught Hao off guard as he charged right at him. Hao was able to dodge it, and he attacked Yoh. Yoh, on the other hand, was not able to dodge, and Hao's sword struck his left arm. Blood poured from his wound, flowing down his hand and staining the ground crimson.

Yoh looked over at Anna again, seeing her pale face and red blood that spilled forever from her. Yoh knew what he had to do. He wanted to make this battle last as little time as was possible, in case there was something he could do for Anna. He wanted to stop her bleeding at least, as he could not bear to see her blood any longer. He had to finish this now.

Yoh charged all of his remaining furyoku into his oversoul; Hao did the same, and they both charged at one another. The attack should have killed one of them instantly and, as the smoke from the attacks cleared, only the silouette of one figure could be seen. It was Yoh.

Yoh had a large burn mark through his shirt and to his chest, and his arm was now bleeding much worse than it was before. He walked limply towards Anna, falling roughly on the ground next to her. He was tired and hurt, but that was nothing compaired to how he felt inside. He was torn up with guilt, and it was as though every trace of what he loved, what he lived for, was gone. And it was all his fault. She had died... because of him.

Yoh looked at her face; her lips were blue in color and her eyes were forever closed. He took her hand, it was stone cold and hung limply in his own. He quietly removed the sword from her, tossing it aside. He tore off a large portion of his unburned shirt and wrapped it around her to stop the bleeding.

A small droplet of water fell beside Anna, landing in the puddle of blood next to her. It took Yoh a moment to realize that it was a tear... his tear. He was crying. He made no effort to wipe away his tears, he simply let them fall. It seemed fultile, however, as this was not how he felt at the moment. No, he was feeling much worse than tears could ever express, crying was just a natural reaction connected to the deepest despair.

Yoh sat silently next to her, stroking her hand lovingly. He felt asharp pain go through his chest, but he did not care. If he died now, he would not care. What was there for him to live for anymore? His life, what was left of it, was fading anyway, though most of it had gone with his love.

The pain grew steadily worse, though Yoh felt numb and could no longer feel it. After a minute or so his vision grew blurry, and he shook slightly as he leaned over, almost falling. And not long after, he slipped out of conciousness, but he did not care. All he cared about was Anna, and if he was to finally see her again, he would die just for that.

And he knew he probably would, but he did not care.


	18. Chasing A New Dream

"Come on, he's over here!" someone shouted from a distance away, pointing at Yoh's still figure and calling out to the people behind him. There were more than ten people following the one in front, who was none other than Faust VIII. A gasp could be heard as the group neared Anna and Yoh, finding both of them laying still, one of them for sure was dead. Careful not to step in the greatpuddle of blood that surrounded a two-foot radius, the group of shamans got close enough to Yoh and Anna for Faust to examine them.

Faust soon discovered that the loss of blood from Anna had killed her long ago, and the deathly look forever etched upon her face told him the same thing, but Yoh... no one was sure what had happened to him. He seemed to be merely unconsious, though the blood loss and burns that he had indured were sure to have killed him. But, remarkably, he had survived.

Faust and the others carried Anna and Yoh back to Funburi, Yoh still laying unconsious in Rio's arms. Once back at the Inn, the group took time helping Yoh and trying to wake him up. They also burried Anna, though they were going to wait for Yoh to come to, it was taking too long, and they had no time to waste. They all felt bad for Yoh, having to lose two of his friends and the love of his life in only a short period of time. So many people had died that week, and all because of a careless mistake.

It took almost a full day, but eventually Yoh's eyes flickered open, drinking in the light that came through his bedroom window. He wondered for a moment whether this all was a dream or not but, as he tried to sit up abruptly to go train outside, he realized that it was not. The pains in his chest were almost unbearable, and he knew by the bandages and wrappings all around his body that it had all happened, that it was real. That also meant that what had happened to Anna was real as well, though Yoh was hoping more than anything that one of his friends, perhaps Ren or Horo, would come into his room and announce to him that this was all a joke or something along those lines, and that Anna was waiting for him outside. He would have given anything at that very moment to here her cold, cruel voice calling out his name, even if it meant that she was back to normal. Normal, Ice Queen Anna was better than no Anna.

Yoh struggled for a moment, trying as best he could to stand, but after several failed attempts he soon discovered that he could not. Faust came in to check up on him again, and found him laying back on his bed, eyes open. But there was something different about him, about his eyes; they were lost looking, almost... empty. He had a miserable look on his face, and an occational tear slid down his face. He felt lonely without her, though he tried to convince himself that he did not need her, he did, and he always had. It was like his life was empty and pointless without someone to share it with, and that someone had been her. He felt as though he, too, had died with her, though death would have been almost _welcome _compared to how he felt now.

The day went by slowly, as though time had frozen just so Yoh could have some time to think about what he was to do next. He knew that it was pointless to do anything now that Anna was gone, but he was letting his friends down by refusing to get out of bed. The only thing that kept him going was his promise to Horo long ago: _I'll make your dream come true when I become Shaman King._ He had promised so many people so many things, and this was how he repayed them? By not even trying anymore?

Yoh knew it was time for him to go on with his life. His only goal was to become Shaman King, but Anna... her dream was to be the Shaman Queen, and Yoh could hardly bear the thought of not having her beside him when he showed that all of her training and his determination had paid off. But he was not doing this to become the Shaman King; no, he was doing this to make the dreams of everyone he had promised to make real come true, and that started with Anna. Even though she had wanted to become the Shaman Queen, she had also wanted Yoh to be the King. That was her last wish, and Yoh would fullfil it no matter what happened to him in the process.

Yoh slowly got out of bed and walked to the door leading into the hallway. _Her_ room was right across from his, and he could just barely see into it as he walked down the stairs to the next room. _Don't worry Anna, _Yoh thought as he passed her dark room, knowing that the light in it could never come back, _I'll become the Shaman King for you. And even if I die trying, at least that will be when I finally get to see you again. _And Yoh left the Flame Inn, telling himself that he would never return there. Not without Anna.


	19. Shattered Dream: New Hope

**Not too short, but there are only about two, or even one, chapter(s) left. I'm not sure if I'll write a sequel, probably not. I know how it will end, and I have been questioned: is Anna really dead, and is this story done? Yes, Anna is dead, and no, there are a few more ideas left before this is finished. Truth be told, this is the best story I think I've ever written. I really appreciate your reviews as well!**

The next few months for Yoh were spent fighting, and not just for fun either. No, the cheerful attitude he was known by for most of his life was gone, only to be replaced by undetered rage. The battles did not last long, now that Yoh knew for a fact what he was fighting for, and _who_ he was fighting for. He would stop at nothing to achieve his goal.

As the last fight of the finals drew nearer, Yoh's friends spent more time trying to visit him. But not one of them could find him. He no longer lived at the Flame Inn, and whenever they went to watch one of his battles, he left soon after winning without saying a word to them. They knew that the loss of Anna had been hard, but they never would have expected it to be this hard.

Just days before the finals began, Yoh dissapeared. No one knew where he had gone, but there were rumors that he had returned to Flame Inn, though not entered the house itself. Someone had said they saw him out back, behind the Inn. He was crying and whispering inadible words to something that wasn't even there. But Yoh's friends, once they heard this, knew what he was doing. He was finally going to move on and accept all that had happened. He was finally saying goodbye to Anna.

The final fight of the Shaman Tournament neared and finally came. Yoh stood on one side of the large battle arena, and on the other side stood a large, Egyptian-looking shaman. He looked powerful, though not nearly as strong as Yoh. Yoh knew he was going to win; he had to win, no matter what.

The bell that signaled the beginning of the final match of the Tournament sounded, though there was an easy winner right away. The poor shaman facing Yoh didn't even have a chance to throw one punch, for Yoh used up all of his furyoku in one blast, causing a large explosion. Yoh was the only shaman standing--still living that is-- in the arena. Yoh had won. He was finally the Shaman King.

Yoh's friends were finally able to corner him right after the fight, once he was crowned the Shaman King. They headed him off by the side of the arena, blocking the exit. Rio, Faust, Morty, Tamara, Pirika, Jun, Lyserg, and even the Lily Five were there. They were all happy for him, and most of them were smiling. The only ones that weren't were Pirika and Jun. But, they had every reason not to celebrate. Both of their brothers had been killed not that long ago, and in the same few days, too. No one spoke for a moment, for there was really nothing that any of them could say.

"Congratulations, Master! You finally made your dream come true!" Rio spoke, breaking the silence. Yoh smiled a bit, looking around at each in turn. He wanted to remember this moment, for it might not come ever again. At least not now, not for him as Shaman King. He would see them again soon, just not in this way. His smile quickly vanished, however, and he looked away as he spoke to them all.

"Thank you everyone, but that dream isn't going to last very much longer. Don't worry; I'm sure it'll come around again. But, I have something more important to do now. Bye, everyone." He was doing this for them, and for Horohoro, Ren, and especially for… Anna. Yoh's friends backed away slightly, allowing Yoh to leave if he wanted to, which he did. He did not say another word to any of them, for he knew in his heart this was for the best. He had tried everything, reviewed every option in his head, and this was the only one. He had to do it, even if it cost him his only dream.

Yoh made his way out of the arena and to the Star Sanctuary, ready to finally meet the King of Spirits. He found the sanctuary quite easily, and arrived quickly. He was greeted promptly by the King of Spirits.

The King of Spirits was not a man, nor was he a figure or being. He looked to be a mass of light, created by the very sanctuary that he lived in. Spirits of the dead surrounded him, wrapping him in their light. It truly was beautiful to watch. The King of Spirits had a deep voice, one that seemed to shake the Heavens as he spoke.

"Yoh Asakura. You know, I expect, that when you become Shaman King, you are allowed to shape the world any way you wish it to be? So, what will be your first item to attend to?" Yoh was a little intimidated at first, but he knew what he had to do, and fear would not stop him.

"Thank you, Great King of Spirits, but I would like to ask, if it is alright, could I have just one thing? I would like to request a wish, just one. That's all I will need." Yoh spoke differently than usual, perhaps because he was so serious all of a sudden. The King of Spirits seemed to nod, but because Yoh was not quite sure what gesture he was making, he spoke it as well.

"As you desire. But, why just one wish?" He questioned, wondering why someone who could have anything would require just one thing in life.

"Thank you, but that is all I will be able to make." Yoh replied, nodding his head a little bit as he prepared to make the one wish that could either destroy life, or bring new meaning to it. He smiled a bit before continuing, knowing what must be done.

"I wish…"


	20. Loving Wish

**LAST CHAPTER! I can't believe that I have 100 reviews already! Well, this is the end of the story, and you can make requests for a sequel or a new story you want me to write. I need ideas! And... I would like to make a dedication for this story! Two people stuck with it 'till the end, and reviewed almost every chapter! This story is dedicated to Hiwatari-kun is soooo cute he took over the world and bittersweetness! I would also like to thanks everyone that reviewed this story, it is because of you all that I kept writing! Thank you so much! I hope the ending it good, because I had this idea for a while, and I hope it worked well in the end. Thanks to you all for reading, and enjoy the last chapter!**

Though Yoh could not specifically say what he was wishing for, the King of Spirits seemed to understand. It was as though he could read minds, for just as Yoh spoke, his wish was already coming true. Although he knew that it was horrible phrasing, it was his one wish, and the King of Spirits knew what he wanted anyway.

"I wish that none of this had ever happened." Yoh spoke, not even needing to specify a date or time, for his wish was granted as he spoke. The King of Spirits said nothing, but Yoh could have sworn for a brief moment he saw him smile, although he had no face to look at.

The light from the Star Sanctuary enveloped Yoh, surrounding him with the powerful spirit energy of a thousand ghosts. Yoh could not feel them, but he knew they were there. He closed his eyes slowly, hoping that, when he next opened them, his wish would have come true. He stood completely still, not knowing what else to do. Time seemed to pass by, and he was unsure of whether or not his wish had come true. But he did not open his eyes, for he was waiting for something to signify that it had worked. That came almost instantly, when he heard someone shouting somewhere to his right.

"Yoh. Yoh! YOH! Yoh, wake up!" the voice said, and Yoh felt a tap on his arm. He opened his eyes to find that Ren was the one tapping his shoulder. So, that meant the wish had come true. It had worked! Yoh looked around, and saw all of his friends. HoroHoro, Rio, Faust, all of them. They were all sitting down to breakfast, as though nothing had happened. Perhaps nothing had, for only Yoh could remember what really had.

Yoh smiled a bit before looking the table over again, and realizing that someone was missing. Anna! And then Yoh remembered; she was in her room. That was how this all had started, and that was how he had almost lost her. He tried to think of a way to make this stop, but could only think of one. And to him, and probably to her, this was the best way.

Yoh excused himself from the table and ran up the stairs to Anna's room. He wrenched open the door, and saw his worst nightmare confirmed. This had happened to him once before, and for it to happen again would kill him in more than one way.

Anna was, as Yoh could remember so vividly, sitting in the middle of the room, shaking as she held a silver arrow to her wrist. Yoh knew what would happen next, but he was still not ready. He knew what would fix this mess, but he was still not sure of what reaction Anna would have. For all she knew was what she had overheard Yoh and Morty talking about.

"Tell me you love me! Just this once, I want to hear it from you! I heard what you and Morty were talking about, and I want to know that it wasn't true!" Anna said, her voice also shaking. Yoh felt great pity for her, and his sadness was reflected by the tears in his eyes as he approached Anna slowly. She did not fight him as he reached her and pulled her into a warm embrace. He held her close, and whispered words in her ear that he had wanted to say to her for so long now.

"Yes, Anna, I love you."


End file.
